Thermal pollution refers to the harmful increase in water temperature in aquatic environments, primarily caused by industrial processes like cooling in power plants and discharging heated water back into water bodies. Even a temperature increase of just 1-2 degrees Celsius can have detrimental effects on local ecosystems, including the death or displacement of native species. Major contributors to thermal pollution include nuclear power plants, coal-fired plants, industrial effluents, and domestic sewage, all of which reduce the dissolved oxygen levels in water and damage marine organisms.